Wheel securing means for vehicles



rMarch 24, 1953 A. RICHARD 2,632,675

WHEEL SECURING MEANS FOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 26, 1951 Patented Mar. 24, 1953 WHEEL SECURING MEANS FOR VEHICLES Alphonse Richard, St-Thecle, Quebec, Canada, assignor of thirty-live per cent to RichardJ. Veilletand fifteen per cent to Robert Cloutier, both of St-Thecle, Quebec, Canada I Application February 26, 1951, Serial No. 212,714

The present invention relates to wheel securing means for vehicles and more particularly to securing means for the tire Wheels of cars and tru'cks""'and like automotive vehicles.

The general object of the` present invention is *thelprovi'sion of means for `rapidly and easilir securing and removing the Wheels from the hubs -vof'a-vehicle.

Still another important object of the present invention is the provision of Wheel securing means of the character described Which Will eliminate the plurality of bolting operations necessary in known Wheel securing means.

Yet another important object of the present invention is the provision of wheel securing means of the character described Which are very safe and efficient in use.

Yet another important object of the present invention is the provision of Wheel securing means as mentioned here above Which may be adapted as an attachment to standard vehicle Wheels.

Yet another important object of the present invention isthe provision of means of the character described which are simple and inexpensive to manufacture. f

The foregoing and other important objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure by referring to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle hub and of the Wheel according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the wheel in assembled position over the hub;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the detached Wheel andhubv Fig; 4 is an elevation of the locking annular plate together with the actuating gear train; and

Fig.` 5 is a section along line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

"Referring now more particularly to the drawings in Which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, the letter A denotes a standard conventional hub aflixable to the axle B of a vehicle. The hub A instead of being provided With threaded bolts circumscribing the shaft B has mounted thereon a plurality of bolts I, the head of which has an annular groove 2 for a purpose which will be described hereafter.

The wheel 3 according to the invention, has a rim 4 of conventional cross-section for receiving the tire C shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

To" the Trim 4 is secured a web 5 having the usual central aperture B adapted to receive the central projecting portion D of the hub A for centeringof the Wheel 3.

1 Claim. (C1. 301-9) l2 l A ring 'l having an L shaped cross-section is secured to the outer face of the web 5 in such a manner that its central opening 8 registers with the opening 6 of said web and that the plurality of circumscribing holes 9 `made, therein register with the usual holes Il! of the web 5.

An annular plate I I is applied to the outer surface of the ring land mayrotate relatively thereto. Said annular plate I I is maintained inA place on the sleeve portion of the ring 1 by means of a retaining or snap ring I2 engaging a suitable groove made in said sleeve portion in a manner similar to a piston ring.

The annular plate Il is provided with a plurality of apertures I3, concentric with the axis of the Wheel and formed by a circular portion I4 communicating with an elongated portion I5, the edges I (i of which form a rabbet as shown in Fig. 5 for receiving the head of the bolt I. The annular plate II is also provided with a peripheral ange having a toothed sector I1 the outwardly projecting teeth of which mesh with an endless worm I8, the latter being mounted on a shaft I9 which is journaled in the box I9' integral with the Web 5 of the Wheel 3.

On one end of the shaft I 9 is mounted `a pinion 20 meshing with the second endless Worm 2| eX- tending at right angles thereto, and provided at oneV end with a square recess 22 for receiving a suitable manipulating tool.

Rotation of the Worm 2| Will rotate the Worm I8 which will in turn rotate the annular plate II relatively to the Wheel 3.

To lock the Wheel in position on the hub A, the annular plate II is rotated so that the circular portion I!! of the apertures I3 registers With the openings 9 of the ring 'I and consequently with the openings It of the Web 5. Then the Wheel 3 is put in position over the hub A with the bolts l projecting through the above-mentioned openings, the grooves 2 thereof, opposite the annular plate Il. The latter is then rotated so that the restricted aperture portion I5 engages the grooves 2 of the bolt I, the head of the latter resting on the rabbet of the edges I6 of said openings I3. Thus a single manipulation of a key or tool to rotate the worm 2l is necessary to secure the Wheel 3 in position.

The web 5 of the Wheel 3 is further providedv with a countervveight 23 as shown in Fig. 3, diametrically opposed to the gear arrangement |12 to 22 in order to counter-balance the same.

It is seen that the ring 1, annular plate II and the gear arrangement Il to 22 together with the box I9 and counter-Weight 23 may be aixed to a standard Wheel construction thereby providing an attachment which may be adapted to practically any standard type of tire Wheels already in use.

It should also be noted that the worm gears used in .the present invention effectively lock the annular plate against accidental rotation thereby providing very safe securing means 'for the vehicle wheel.

While a preferred embodiment according to the invention has been illustrated 'and'described it is understood that various modifications may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A Wheel of the character described adapted Ato be removably secured to an .axle driving hubfsaid hub provided with a plurality of outwardly projecting grooved bolts concentric with the axle, comprising a web provided With a plurality of holes to `register' with -said bolts, a ring secured .to lsaid web, having a `central sleeve portion to with the holes of said web, Yan annular jplate slidably mounted on said ring and co-axial etherewith, ia snap ring inserted in a groove made in said central sleeve portion to retain said annular 4 plate, said annular plate having slots disposed in an annular path concentric with said axle and registering with the holes of said ring and web, said slots having a restricted portion adapted to engage the groove of said bolts, a peripheral ange depending from said annular plate, out- -Wardly projecting gear teeth provided at a portion of the periphery of said peripheral ange, an endless worm journaled in said web and meshing With said gear teeth, a pinion integral with :said endless worm, a second endless worm extending at right angles to the axis of said first endless 'worm and meshing with said pinion, and a manipulating head projecting from said second 'endless Worm to rotate said annular plate relatively to said ring and web.

ALPHONSE RICHARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the l file iof `this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

